The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences
-
J. Gerontol. A Biol. Sci. Med. Sci. · Jan 2003
Comparative StudyRelationship between pain and opioid analgesics on the development of delirium following hip fracture.
Delirium and pain are common following hip fracture. Untreated pain has been shown to increase the risk of delirium in older adults undergoing elective surgery. This study was performed to examine the relationship among pain, analgesics, and other factors on delirium in hip fracture patients. ⋯ Using admission data, clinicians can identify patients at high risk for delirium following hip fracture. Avoiding opioids or using very low doses of opioids increased the risk of delirium. Cognitively intact patients with undertreated pain were nine times more likely to develop delirium than patients whose pain was adequately treated. Undertreated pain and inadequate analgesia appear to be risk factors for delirium in frail older adults.
-
J. Gerontol. A Biol. Sci. Med. Sci. · Jan 2003
Comparative StudyPredictors of short-term functional decline in survivors of nursing home-acquired lower respiratory tract infection.
Scant information exists about the risk of functional decline following treatment of acute illness in the nursing home (NH) setting. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of short-term (30-day) functional decline among survivors of NH-acquired lower respiratory tract infection (LRI) and the factors that predict such decline, including the role of initial hospitalization. ⋯ Many NH residents who survive to 30 days following LRI develop new functional limitations, and such individuals are at risk for ADL decline at 90 days. A limited number of clinical variables may predict short-term functional decline. Initial hospitalization for acute treatment of LRI may increase the risk of subsequent ADL decline among individuals who survive to 30 days.
-
J. Gerontol. A Biol. Sci. Med. Sci. · Jan 2003
Cognitive screening predicts magnitude of functional recovery from admission to 3 months after discharge in hospitalized elders.
Many older adults lose functional ability during the course of acute illness and fail to recover function. We sought to determine whether performance on a cognitive screen at the time of hospital admission predicted the magnitude of functional recovery after hospitalization. ⋯ Cognitive screening at hospital admission can be used to stratify patients according to the magnitude of expected functional recovery after an acute illness that required hospitalization.